Shielding device for applying nail-hardening compositions to fingernails



April 1966 B. DINERSTEVI 3,2 418 SHIELDING DEVICE FOR APPLYING NAIL-H DENING COMPOSITI 5 TO FINGERNAILS Filed Jan. 24, 1964 INVENTOR. BEN DINERSTEIN M 6mm ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,245 418 SHIELDING DEVICE FORAPPLYING NAIL-HARD. ENING COMPOSITIONS TO FINGERNAILS Ben Diner-stein, 40 E. 9th St., New York 3, N.Y. Filed Jan. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 340,051 2 Claims. (Cl. 132-885) This invention relates to a novel device adapted for use in applying liquid nail-hardening compositions to human fingernails.

Women commonly use liquid nail-hardening compositions to harden the forward portion of their fingernails, usually referred to as the white tips. Some of these liquid compositions contain a substantial amount of formaldehyde and are applied by means of a small brush or the like. In some people the cuticle and soft tissue surrounding the fingernails are very sensitive to irritation by formaldehyde, and such persons must take meticulous care not to contact the cuticle and soft tissue with the formaldehyde-containing nail hardening composition. In order to prevent any possibility of irritation of the cuticle and soft tissue, the Food and Drug Administration requires formaldehyde-containing nail-hardening compositions to be sold together with a suitable stencil or shield which prevents the liquid nail-hardening composition from coming into contact with the cuticle and soft tissue.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a stencil or shield which exposes the white tip of the nail for coating with a formaldehyde-containing liquid nailhardening composition while protecting the cuticle and surrounding skin against contact with the liquid composition.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel nail stencil or shield which enables one rapidly to coat fingernails with liquids comprising formaldehyde without contacting the cuticle and surrounding skin with the liquids.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

The novel nail stencil or shield of the present invention for applying formaldehydecontaining liquids to human nails while protecting the cuticle and surrounding skin from the liquid comprises a projecting forward end which is placed under the white tip of the nail, integral side portions which extend over the skin adjacent to the side edges of the nail, a rear portion to cover the cuticle and the skin to the rear of it, adhesive means on one face of the shield for holding it in position on the finger, a transverse aperture approximately midway between the forward and the rearward edge of the stencil, and a forwardly arched curvilinear slit forward of said transverse aperture.

Referring now to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the shielding device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial plan View of the shielding device of FIG. 1 in which the protective backing is partially pulled away.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a finger with the shielding device of the invention placed in position about the fingernail.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of FIG. 4 showing the stencil in position.

FIG. 6 is a cross-section of FIG. 4 through line 66.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a persons hand ready for applying liquids to the fingernails in which each finger is protected by a shielding device according to the present invention.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 to 7, the shielding device consists of a forward projecting portion 1, integral side portions 2 and 3 and Patented Apr. 12, 1966 a rear portion 4, a transverse, substantially linear slit 10, and a forwardly arched curvilinear slit 11 forward of the linear slit 10.

The shielding device has an adhesive on the underside of at least the side portions 2 and 3 and preferably also under the forward portion 1. FIG. 2 illustrates the protective cover 5 for the adhesive being peeled from the underside of the stencil starting at the rearward portion 4. The rear portion 4 does not necessarily require any adhesive since the stencil is held firmly in place by side portions 2 and 3 and by forward portion 1.

FIG. 2 also illustrates another embodiment of the shielding device according to the invention which differs from that illustrated in the other figures in that the rear edge of slit 10 is curved rearwardly to form a narrow aperture 14 in the shielding device.

After removal of the protective cover 5, the stencil is ready to be applied to a finger 6 having a fingernail with a white tip 8 and a cuticle 9 as shown in FIG. 5. To position the shielding device on the finger, the white tip 8 of the fingernail is slipped through the linear slit 10, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, so that the forward portion 1 of the shielding device is beneath the white tip of the fingernail 8 and the white tip rests upon the portion 13 of the shielding device defined by the curvilinear slit 11. The integral side portions 2 and 3 and the rear portion 4 are positioned to cover the remainder of the fingernail, the skin surrounding the fingernail and the cuticle 9. The shielding device is held in position by the adhesive on the underside of the side portions 2 and 3 by pressing the side portions against the finger 6. The projecting forward portion 1 is then swung downwardly, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and is pressed against the underside of fingertip .12, leaving the flap 13 defined by curvilinear slit 11 to remain under the white tip of fingernail 8 and protrude slightly beyond the forward edge of the nail. The shielding device can be easily removed from the finger by a gentle pull on the side portions 2 and 3 or forward portion 1.

In FIG. 4, which is a side view of finger 6 with the shielding device in place, the white tip 8 of the fingernail overlaps the flap 13 of the shielding device and side portion 3 covers the skin surrounding the fingernail. In FIG. 5, which is a cross-section of the finger 6 as shown in FIG. 4, the white tip 8 of the fingernail overlaps the flap 13, and the cuticle 9 and the remainder of the nail are covered by the rear portion 4 of the shielding device. FIG. 6, which is a cross-section of FIG. 4 along the line 66, shows how the side portions 2 and 3 protect the skin of finger 6 from the formaldehyde-containing liquid nail-hardening composition when it is applied to the white tip 8 of the fingernail.

When the shielding devices are so positioned on the fingers as shown in FIG. 7, the White tips 8 of the fingernails can be treated with liquids as desired Without also contacting the cuticles and the surrounding soft tissue.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 2 functions in the same way as that shown in the other figures of the drawing, the only difference being that the curved rear edge of aperture 14 exposes slightly more of the fingernail tip for treatment with the nail-hardening composition. This embodiment is better adapted for use by individuals whose fingernails have white tips that are slightly arched toward the cuticle.

The shielding device is preferably made of paper because it is inexpensive and can economically be discarded after one application of the liquid nail-hardening composition. However, it may be made of other materials, such as celluloid or plastic.

Various modifications of the shielding device of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit or scope thereof, and it is to be understood that the invention is to be limited only as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A nail shielding device for use in applying a formaldehyde-containing liquid nail-hardening composition to human nails while protecting the cuticle and surrounding soft skin tissue from contact with said liquid composition, said shielding device consisting of a flat, pliable sheet material comprising a forward portion and 'a rearward portion, a transverse aperture between the forward and rearward edges of said sheet material, a forwardly arched curvilinear aperture forward of said transverse aperture and adhesive means on the underside of the shielding device for holding it in place.

2. A nail shielding device for use in applying a formaldehyde-containing liquid nail-hardening composition to human nails while protecting the cuticle and surrounding soft skin tissue from said liquid composition, said shield ing device consisting of a fiat, pliable sheet material comprising a forward portion and a rearward portion, a substantially linear transverse slit between the forward and rearward edges of said sheet material, a forwardly arched curvilinear slit forward of said transverse linear slit, and adhesive means on the underside of the shielding device for holding it in place.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,031,225 2/1936 ODonnell 132--88.5 2,323,145 6/1943 Mabry 132-88.5 2,539,115 1/1951 Brachrnan l28153 2,917,058 12/1959 Fer rar 132-88.S

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primaly Examiner. 

1. A NAIL SHIELDING DEVICE FOR USE IN APPLYING A FORMALDEHYDE-CONTAINING LIQUID NAIL-HARDENING COMPOSITION TO HUMAN NAILS WHILE PROTECTING THE CUTICLE AND SURROUNDING SOFT SKIN TISSUE FROM CONTACT WITH SAID LIQUID COMPOSITION SAID SHIELDING DEVICE CONSISTING OF A FLAT, PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL COMPRISING A FORWARD PORTION AND A REARWARD PORTION, A TRANSVERSE APERTURE BETWEEN THE FORWARD AND REARWARD EDGES OF SAID SHEET MATERIAL, A FORWARDLY ARCHED CURVILINEAR APERTURE FORWARD OF SAID TRANSVERSE APERTURE AND ADHESIVE MEANS ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE SHIELDING DEVICE FOR HOLDING IT IN PLACE. 